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Stockton city council members don't regret mayor-bashing over book incident

Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva's decision to talk about his public service and other topics instead of reading a book to kids as planned at a Rotary literary event draws criticism from members of the city council.
News10/KXTV

STOCKTON - Stockton city council members aren't backing off of their criticism of Mayor Anthony Silva after a strange incident last week at a Stockton school.

Instead of reading a book to young children, as assigned for a Rotary literacy event, Silva instead talked about his life in public service, mentioning condoms and the Cleveland School shooting.

"I couldn't understand why the mayor would go into those issues. It's totally outside what he was there for," Council member Elbert Holman said in The Stockton Record last week.

Holman was quoted, asking "What brain is he thinking with? Kathy Miller told the paper she was "appalled."

Paul Canepa also responded. "People expect more from Anthony. He needs to step up and lead. What he's done didn't help the situation," Canepa said.

Silva told News10 by phone his comments were stupid. He didn't agree to a new interview about what happened. In the paper he said staff members failed to provide the appropriate book he would be reading to children.